A mining lease holder and other unidentified officials were booked on Sunday on charges of allegedly causing death by negligence after at least three labourers died when they got trapped under the debris of a boulder in a stone quarry in Sonbhadra.
An FIR was registered at the Obra police station in the East Uttar Pradesh district under Section 304-A of the Indian Penal Code.
Pattadar (leaseholder) of the quarry, located in Markundi near the Sharda Mandir, Suresh Keshri and other leaseholders and officials were named in the FIR filed on the complaint of one Ram Vichar. Mr. Ram Vichar's brother Chotelal was among those whose bodies were recovered from the quarry after the incident on Friday.
Seven labourers were crushed under the debris, Mr. Ram Vichar said.
Police have so far confirmed three deaths, while sources said two more labourers were still feared trapped. Two others were rescued earlier and are receiving treatment in hospital. The NDRF carried out the rescue operation along with the district administration.
CM announces aid
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex-gratia compensation of ₹4l akh to the kin of those who died in the incident and ₹50,000 to the injured.
However, the administration came in for much criticism on social media after a video, whose authenticity could not be independently verified, showing a mining official allegedly tutoring the kin of one of the victim at the mortuary to not register an FIR in lieu of better monetary compensation was widely shared.
The Minister of State (Independent Charge) Basic Education, Satish Dwivedi, was deputed by the government to inspect the site and meet those affected.
When asked by journalists about the allegations against the mining officials, he said he didn't have any knowledge of it. “But if any official speaks like this, action will be taken against him,” he said.
“There is no attempt to save anyone,” he further said, when asked if there was an attempt to protect the leaseholder.
The matter would be probed and action would be taken against those responsible, he said.
Sonbhadra police said post-mortem of the bodies was being carried out.
